Aunt Marilyns Red Velvet Cake Recipes

SYLVIA'S RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• For the Cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans. In a medium bowl or on a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk. Beat in food coloring and vinegar, then add vanilla. Spread the batter evenly in the pans.
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool.
• For the Frosting:
• In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Stir in pecans. Use frosting to fill and ice cake.
• Slice and serve on individual plates.

RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with wax or parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, place the cocoa powder and food coloring. Stir to combine and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.
• In a small cup, place the baking soda and vinegar. Stir to combine and set aside.
• In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, place the shortening, sugar, and eggs. Beat on medium-high speed until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add the cocoa mixture and beat on medium just until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts alternately with the buttermilk in 2 parts, starting and ending with the flour. Add the vanilla and beat on medium speed just until combined. Add the baking soda and vinegar mixture to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold it into the batter, gently scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure the batter is blended.
• Pour the batter into the pans. Bake until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and springs back when lightly pressed in the middle, about 30 minutes.
• Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the outside and turn out onto racks. Peel off the paper. Flip them over to completely cool right-side up on the racks. If not assembling right away, cover the layers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 1 day.
• When ready to fill and frost the cake, hold a serrated knife horizontally and use a gentle sawing motion to shave the domed top off each layer. Fill and frost the cake with cream cheese frosting, using a crumb coat (see box) if you have time.
• Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the sugar 1 cup at a time, blending between each addition. Mix in the vanilla, if using, and beat until very smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Use at once or store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up 3 days. Let stand at room temperature until soft and spreadable before using.
• From Aunt Elsa's Kitchen
• If you have time after all the layers are filled, applying a "crumb coat" to the sides and top of a cake ensures that no crumbs get mixed into the frosting and mar the cake's appearance. To apply a crumb coat, place a small amount of the frosting in a dish and use an offset spatula to spread a thin coat all over the sides and top of the cake. Place in the refrigerator until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and frost the sides and top.

AUNT INEZ RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Cream the oil and sugar.
• In separate bowl sift the flour, salt, soda, cocoa.
• Add the sifted flour mixture to the creamed oil and sugar then beat with mixer until smooth (about 45 seconds).
• Add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar, and red food coloring and continue to beat with mixer until smooth.
• Pour equal amount of mixture into 3 (9 inch) round cake pans and bake at 350F for 27-35 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Don't over cook.
• Remove from oven a cool to room temperature.
• Make Frosting:.
• With mixer beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
• Add vanilla and pecans and continue to beat until mixed and smooth.
• Make layers and frost the cake.
• Make sure cake layers are completely cooled and frost the three layers.
• Store in refrigerator to keep frosting from melting.

AUNT LOUISE'S RED VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with waxed or parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Set aside.
• To prepare the batter, in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the oil and the sugar on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the food coloring. Add the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix until just combined.
• To bake the layers, divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake until firm and a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a rack for 5 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, to prepare the frosting, in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth. Sift over the confectioners' sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. If too stiff, add the milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to achieve the correct consistency.
• To assemble, place one layer on a cardboard cake round. Spread with frosting. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers, placing the final layer bottom-side up. Finish with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle over the pecans. Serve the cake immediately, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.